Album Review: Barefoot in the Head by The Chris Robinson Brotherhood

Working at a whiplash speed that seems alien in the 21st century, when bands are pressured to work on three-year album cycles in a digital world when everything exists in an ever-present now, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood are prolific in a way that belies their blissed-out vibes. Barefoot in the Head is the band's fifth album of original material, arriving in a calendar year that also includes another studio album (Anyway You Love, We Know How You Feel, which appeared just about a year prior to Barefoot), a half-hour studio EP (If You Lived Here, You Would Be Home by Now), and a live LP (Betty's Self-Rising Southern Blends, Vol. 3).

Full Review >>

Considering how ugly the eventual split of the Black Crowes was, ripping apart not just the band but also the fraternal bond between frontman Chris Robinson and guitarist Rich, it's been gratifying to see how much joy the former is taking from this non-biological Brotherhood he's built. They're clearly in something of a fertile period - this is their third studio album in two years - something we can probably put down to the fact that they seem to be having an absolute whale of a time. Predictability may not be the most rock'n'roll starting point in the world, but in the case of Barefoot In The Head, having a good inkling of what it's all about before hitting 'play' is as comforting as the music held within.

Full Review >>